Nail-plate-feeding machine



n 1|. n Y fs. t oo R N h 1.. fR A.. m w .w .WM

h .TU S o 8 0 W ,-d me It HD .ww

USMMM IG uw GF JW. WDL 9% Hmz? A@ N. u .Mm 9 9 Il. QN. n.. l f.. .u M m.m 3 w E M. a Nd/m m .N H .7 WWW" (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. J.GLADISH. NAIL PLATE FBEDING MACHINE.

No. 323,399. Patented out. 13, 1335.

NAN!

NIPXN.

0 Ybbwvn.

8 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

W. J. GLADISH. NAIL PLATE PBEDING MACHINE.

No. 328,399. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

M BWENTQR. I

wf# ATTORNEYS (No Model.) 8 Sheets-Sheet 5. W. J. GLADISH.

NAIL PLATE PENDING MACHINE. i No. 328,399. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

(No Model.) s sheets-sheet e. W. J. GLADISH. NAIL PLATE PEEDING MACHINE.

No. 328,399. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

, VEN

ATTORNEYS.

WITNBSSES 2r/ A. W

N. Pneus. mwmmgnpm, wnmngmn. n.0.

(No Model.) a sheets-sheets. W. J. GLADISH.

NAIL PLATE PEEDING MACHINE.. No. 328,399. Patented Oct. 13, 1885.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR.

N. Pneus. momnmnwm wmmgm", n. c.

the nail-plate-holding barrels.

Jlimitan STATES ATENT trice.

VILL'IAM JAMES GLADISH, OF OHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALFTO J. XV. LOVE, OF FORT VALLEY, GEORGIA, AND J. V. ANTHOINE, OF EUFAULA,ALABAMA.

NAIL-PLATE-FEEDING IVIACHlNE.

,JPECEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.328,399, dated October13, 1885I Application tiled September l5), 1884. Serial No. 143,474. (Nomodel.)

T all whom, it may concern.-

Beit known that I, WILLIAM J. GLADIsH, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State ofTennessee, have invented certain new 'and useful Improvements inNail-PlateFeeding Machines; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which .willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form apart of this specification, and in which- Figure l is a perspective viewof my improved nail-plate-feeding machine attached to anail-cuttingmachine of ordinary construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal verticalsectional `view ofthe same. Fig. 3 is a side View of the machine,showing the operating-crank and the pitmen connected therewith. Fig. 4is a side view of the opposite side of the machine. Fig. 5 is a planview. Fig. 6 is an end View of lthat end of the machine which shows thenail-cutting apparatus. Fig. 7 is an end view of that end of the machinewhich shows the nail-plate-feeding mechanism. Fig. 8 is a longitudinalvertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, ofthe nail-plate-feedingmechanism. Fig. 9 is a detail view, in perspective,ot' the cylindercontaining the several barrels which hold and feed the nail-platesduring operation. Fig. l0 is a longitudinal sectional view, on anenlarged scale, of one of Fig. l1 is a perspective view of the nippersor pliers which serve to extract the stumps of the nailplates from thebarrels. Fig. l2 is a detail sideview of the mechanism by means of whichthe guide-pin working in the grooves of the feeding-cylinder may beraised or lowered, so as to adjust the position of thenail-plate-carrying barrels with relation to the anvil of thenail-cutting machine. Fig. 13 isatransverse sectional view of themachine, taken through the pivot upon which the cylinder is mounted.Fig. 14 is a transverse sectional view taken through the cylinder at thepoint at which the operating-gear is located.

Fig. 15 is a transverse sectional view taken through the cylinder andthrough one or more ot" the sleeves of the nail-plate-holding barrels.Fig. 16 is a perspective View of one of the barrels detached from thecylinder. Fig. 17 is a detail top view, showing the cylinder in positionfor operation, and showing one of the barrels of the same with thenail-plate contained therein in contact with the gage by means of whichits position is regulated. detail side view of the cam-wheel by means ofwhich the stump-removing pliers are operated.

This invention relates to nail-plate-feeding machines, and it has forits object to provide a device of this class in which the operationshall be continuous-that is, in which the nailplate-feeding barrelsshall be so disposed that whenever the nail-plate is presented to thecutting knives or shears it shall have been automatically reversed, soas to present the nail-platein its proper position, and in whichprovision shallnioreover be made for regulating the distance to whichthe said nailplate shall be fed forward.

The invention consists, specifically, in a rotating cylinder equippedwith any desired number ot' barrels or tubes, each of which is adaptedto hold a nail-plate, and to feed it forward at stated intervals, thesaid barrels being so arranged in the cylinder as to receive a one-halt'revolution with each full revolution of the cylinder, thus presentingthe nail-plate to the cutting apparatus at alternate angles at eachoperation.

Further, the invention consists in improved mechanism for feeding thenail-plates forward in the respective barrels and supplying a newnail-plate to each barrel when the plate previously contained thereinshall have been exhausted.

Further, the invention consists in mechanism for automaticallyextracting the stumps remaining in the barrels when they shall have beenfed forward to such an extent that no more nails can be successfully cuttherefrom.

My invention, further and finally, consists in the improved constructionand arrangement Fig. 1S is 'hereinafter described, also' serves 9 zae ofdetails, which will be hereinafter fully de scribed, .andparticularl'ypointed out ini the claims.

In the drawings, A designates the frame of a nail-cutting machine towhich my inventionhas been attached. In the construction of the saidnail-cutting machinenoinvention' is here# in claimed, except as'to theparts which nec,- essarily co-operate with parts of my inven-5 tion.v

B designates the bed of the machine, which is provided with a rearwardlyand upwardly extending arm, C, the upper end ot' which forms aturn-table, D, upon which is pivoted an arm or shaft, E, whichconstitutes the shaft ofthe main cylinder of the nail-plate-feedingilmechanism. The said cylinder is composed of the two'end disks, F and G,which serve to support the cylindrical body H, which lat# ter isprovidedwitha series of zigzaggrooves, I J, the former of which are formed 'orlocated diagonally with relation to the axis of the cylinder, while'thelatter are parallel tothe said axis o1"'shaft It will also be noticed,by reference toFig. 9 of the drawings, that the junctions of the saidgrooves at the front end of the cylinder are somewhat enlarged, or, inother'words, that the grooves J have been partiallyeut away or beveled,so as to facilitatetheentrance of the opelatingpin, to be hereinafterdescribed, in the several grooves," while,` on the other hand, the ends"of the diagonal groovesI have' been provided with recesses or'indentations K, the "object' of whiehis to detainthe-'saidoperating-pin in position untill the retrograde movement of thepitinan carrying the said operating-pin shall occur.y

L L designate the side pieces or up'right's which support the armpM,carrying thenai'l-v cutting knife N, which is operated by meansr ofanarm, O, secured or attached to the roekshat't P, upon which the saidcutter-arm ismounted, the said armv being 'operated' bythe actionfot'arod or pitman, Q, pivoted-eccen trical'ly' to a disk, B, mountedupo'none end of ashaft, S',"whicli isjournaled` insui'table bearingsatone end ofthe frame 'AL This' shaft, which*mayibedenominated the mainshaft?" ofthe machine, is provided atitsfopposite' end with adriving-crank",I band-wheel, or other device', bymeans of which 'it maybe adapted to receive motion from any suitable motive" power. The saidshaft,` as will be to'convey' niotion'to the several operating partsofthe nail-plateifeeding meehanisin.

Tlie'oi'sksor ends F Got' the cylinder fH, to which reference hashereinrbefore been"n1ade", areeach'provid'ed withl a se'ries'ofconcentric andeq'uidistant openings, denoted', respective? ly',by'TandU, the'openingsTin th'e `rear disk,` orthat which faces the' nail-cutt'ing machine,

disk, whileftheopeningsU in the front y Gyor that which' 'faces t-henail-plat'elfeedin'g' mechanism, are located at some distance betweenthe periphery of the disk and the axis of rotation of the cylinder. Bythis arrangement it will be seen that the pateholding barrels, which areaccommodated, as will be presently stated, in the said perforations oropenings, will always be held or retained at an angle'to Vthe axis ofrotation, the object being to present the nail-plates, when they reachthe anvil, at suchan'angle to the cutting knife or ably with' one arm,X, of a bracket, Y, which is secured to one side of the frame A; Whenthus secured, the 'cylinder may be freely revolved or operated bythemechanisinwhi'ch forms partof this machine. When the said set-screw isloosened or detached, the nailplate-feeding cylinder may be swung out tooneside, thus affording free access to the nail# cutting part yof themachine, which may then be set or regulated as may be required.

Themain shaft S has near the end which' is provided with'the operatingcrank or wheel," a cam-wheel','Z.' the outer and inner sides ot'whiclrare' provided, respectively, with cain' IOO grooves A' and B', theformer of which rel ceives a pin,v C', arranged in the end of a1ongitudinally-movable slide, D', which carries atits front end oneofthe jaws, E', of the stu1np-ren1ovin`g nippers F', the other jaw ofwhich, G', is pivoted to the saidjaw E', and

provided at the rear end of its shank with.;

an'outwardly-extending wedge-shaped or beveledprojection, H', workingagainst a spring or guide, I', which is rigidly attached to a disk, J',mounted upon a bolt, K', which slides longitudinally in a slot, L', inthe slide D',

which' forms practically the shank of the jaw E'ofthe nippers F'. Thejaw E is provided Witha `longitudinal slot, L, moving-upona pinor stud,M', which is secured in the frame Aoi' the'machin'e.

.Upon the'inner end of the bolt K' is journaled on'e'arm, P', of ajointed lever, Q', the

lower'curved arm of whichis adapted to bear against the under side ofthe cani-wheel, to

which reference has been made above. p

The slide D'. which forms the 'shank of the main'jawof the nippers, isprovided with a downwardly-extending arm, B', tothe lower endof whichthecurved arm of lever-'Q' is' pivotally connected. The front endsof the,mainand' auxiliary' jawsv of the nippers` areV beingflocatedy nearthe"periphery 'of the said V disk,

provided',respectively, with a recess or indenr tation and-with a toothor prong, so that they shall be adapted to catch andV retain any projecting portion of a nail-plate.

IIO

ISO

The shaft E, which extends through the cylinder H, is provided withinthe said cylinder with a bevel-wheel, S', a portion of the periphery ofwhich is left smooth or free of teeth, the object being to cause thenail-platefeed ing barrels to remain stationary at that point at whichthe nails are cut from the plates. The said barrels are each provided ator near their inner ends with a pinion, T', meshing with or engaging thesaid gear-wheel, so that when the cylinder revolves, by mechanism whichwill be presently described, the said barrels shall receive a rotarymotion, the proportions of the toothed portion of the gearwheel S withrelation to the pinions upon thc barrels being so regulated that eachbarrel shall make a one-half revolution to each complete revolution ofthe cylinder. Mechanism, which will be hereinafter described, isprovided whereby the nailplates shall be fed forward in their respectivebarrels during the revolution of thecylinder a sufficient distance toprovide for a nail of the proper or desired width. A gage or arlnextending upwardly and outwardly from the bracket Y serves to regulatethe distance which the nail-plate shall be allowed to project, the saidarm being simply in the nature of a stop, which, being rigid, will serveto push the nail-plate back into the barrel against the tension of thesprings by which it is held, so as to cause it to project only exactlythe required distance.

To the upper end of the rod or lever Q, above referred to, is pivoted apitman, Y', extending forwardly, as shown, having at its front end apivoted slide, Z', for which a suitable groove or guide is provided inthe side piece, A2, ofthe machine. The said slide consists of anH-shaped frame or carriage, the upper side of which is provided with aliange, l", provided with set-screws C, by means of which the frictionof the carriage against its bearings may be regulated. The said carriageis provided at its lower end with a downward ly-extending lug, D2,having an inwardly-extending pin, El, working` in the grooves of therevolving cylinder, to which motion is thereby imparted. The front endof the side piece ofthe frame which forms the bearing or guide for thecarriage or slide Z', is connected adjustably to the main frame of themachine by means of bolts F2 G, the former of which is a horizontal boltadjustable vertically in a vertical slot, H2, formed in a lug or armwhich extends upwardly from the main frame, while the latter bolt isadjusted vertically in a lug, l, and adapted to form a support for thesaid side piece of the frame. lt will be observed that by the mechanismas described, when the machine is operated the forward stroke of the.pitman Y will carry the pin through one of the diagonal grooves in thecylinder, which is thereby caused to revolve a sufficient distance tocarry the plate-holding barrel from the plate of which a nail has justbeen cut in an upward direction, and to carry the next barrel to such aposition that the plate held therein shall be disposed upon the anvil ina position ready to be engaged by the cutting-knife. On the rearwardstroke of the pitman Y the operating-pin will travel back through one ofthe grooves in the cylinder which is parallel to the shaft or axis, andthe cylinder will thus remain stationary while the nail is being cut.

The box or receptacle in which the nailplates which are automaticallyfed by this machine are contained, is located at the front end of theframe, and it consists of a rectangular box, arranged at an angleorincline which corresponds with the angle or inclination at which theplate-holding barrels are arranged in the cylinder, with relation to theshaft or axis of the latter. The said box, which may be of a sufficientsize to hold any desired number of nail-plates say,onehundred or moreisprovided with a false bottom or follower', J", having adownwardly-extending shank or handle, Ki, moving in bearings which areformed by a frame, L2, which may be constructed and arranged in anysuitable manner. The lower end ofthe said shank is connected pivotallywith the front end of a lever, M2, fulcrumed to a bracket, N2, andhaving at its opposite end a weight, O2, by means of which pressure inan upward direction is exerted upon the follower in the plate-holdingbox. It will be seen that by this mechanism the plates are constantlyforced in an upward direction against the slide, to be presentlydescribed, which forins the cover ofthe box or receptacle, and by thelongitudinal motion of which the plates are successively fed from thebox and into the plate-holding barrels.

I would here state that instead ofthe weighted lever a suitably-arrangedspring, or any other suitable mechanism, may be employed for feeding orforcing the nail-plates upwardly in their box or receptacle. lt is alsoobvious that the follower in the said receptacle must be arranged atsuch an angle as to be parallel with the slide or cover.

The feeding slide or cover of the plate-holding box, which is designatedby letter P2, is arranged to slide longitudinally in suitable grooves orguides formed for its reception near the upper edges of the sides of thesaid box, and in armsQ'i, which extend rearwardly from the same towardthe cylinder, as clearly shown in the several figures of the drawings.The rear end of the said arms are provided with a bracket, Q, extendinglaterally and connecting them with the side of the frame. Between theends of the said arms VQ2 which are nearest the cylinder H is arranged aplate or tloor, R2, which serves to support the nailplate which is rstto be fed to the machine. It is obvious that the cover must be ofsuch alength that the plate-holding box shall not at any time be uncovered,for the reason that if this were the case the plates contained thereinwould be liable to be displaced. rlhe said cover is provided with slotsS'l and T2, in each of which is pivoted a dog or pawl, U2, having at itsfront end a transverse pin,- lug, or other IOC IIO

device, V2, whereby it shall be snppo'rtedfu'pon the upper side of thecover, and be prevented from dropping entirely through the slot in whichit is pivoted. The under side of each of the pawls is provided with adownwardly-extending lug or tooth, NVZ, extendinga short distance belowthe under side of the cover. The tooth of the rear pawl will serve, whenthe slide is operated, to push the uppermost plate in the box in aforward direction or over upon the floor, to which reference has beenmade. At the Sametime the forward pawl will serve to push the platealready located upon the said iioor over into the plate-holding barrelwhich at the time registers with the said ioor.

The slide or cover is provided with a c`entral slot, XZ, in which ispivoted a lever or pitman, Y, the opposite end of which is piv-` otallyconnected with `a crank, Z2, extending downwardly from a rock-shaft, A3,mounted transversely in a pair of arms or brackets extending upwardlyand frontwardly from the main frame of the machine, to which the saidarms or brackets are suitably bolted or otherwise connected. rlheopposite end ofthe said rock-shaft is provided with an arm or crank, B3,parallel to the crank Z2, and provided at its outer end with a pivotedlever or pitman,

G3, having at its lower end a laterally-projecting stud, D3, thefunctions of which will be presently set forth.

Secured to the inner side of one of the side pieces of the frame andextending in a forward direction under the lever C, is a flat spring,E3, the free end of which is suitably connected by means of a chain orcord, F3, with an arm, G3, extending laterally from a rock-shaft, H,which is journalcd longitudinally and in a somewhat inclined position(it being parallel, or nearly so, to the plate-holding box) in suitablebearings, the forward one of which is located in the bracket Q, whichextends laterally from the arms QZ, and connects the said. arms with theside of the frame, as seen in Fig. 1.

The rear end of the shaft H" is provided with a laterally-extending armor trigger, l, adapted to be engaged by the rear ends of thenailplateholding barrels, as Ishallnow proceed to describe. The saidbarrels, which are designated by letter J3, consist of tubular castings,the rear ends of which are beveled, as shown at K3, and the front endsof which are provided with bearings for a pair of diagonal andlongitudinally sliding' rods, L", the for- Y ward ends of which areprovided with nuts M3, between which and the ends of the barrels coiledsprings N3 are interposed, so as to force the said rods automatically ina forward direction. The rear or inner ends of the said rods arepivotally connected to the pawls O, which are pivotedin the innerside ofa sleeve, P3, which is arranged to slide longitudinally upon the barrel,which latter is provided with slots Q, adapted to accommodate the saidpawls, and also the pawls R3, which are pivoted near the front end ofthe saidV sleeve, and which extend in a rearward direction` for ayconsiderable distance, extending even beyond the beveled ends of thebarrels, so as tofclampf and hold the nail-plate contained therein.

S3 S3 designate pawlswhich are pivoted within the barrel proper, andwhich are actuated by springs T3, which serve to hold the said pawls invcontact with the nail-plate, thus preventing `a retrograde movement ofthe same, the said springs being arranged, *aswillv be seen by referenceto the drawings, to force the pawls in a forward direction, so that theyshall simply rest upon the sides of the nailplate without interferingwith the feed movement of the same.

The` beveled ends of the barrels are provided with broad llat springs,securely bolted thereto and bearing against the projecting ends ofthenail-plates, so as to hold the latter securely in position while theyare being acted upon by the cutting-knife.

The slide Z', which carries the pin by means of which the cylinder ofthe machine is operated, is provided with a forwardly-extending arm, U,moving in a suitable guide or recess in the side piece, A, of the frameof the machine. The front end of this arm is provided with a notch, V3,adapted to receive the stud D3, which projects laterally from the arm orpitman C" of the rock-shaft A3. This stud is normally accommodated inthe recess or open-l ing V in the side piece, A2, of the frame, and itis held or retained in this recess by the action of the ilat spring E3,which normally supports the lower end of the pitman C3.

It will be seen that when the4 cylinder revolves, in case the slidingrods L3 project forwardly a sufficient distance to engage the trigger I3the latter will 'be 'tilted in an up ward direction, thus oscillatingthe rock-shaft upon which it is secured. The arm atthe rear end of thevsaid rock-shaft will thus be depressed, depressing the free end of theflat spring and permitting thestud D3 to drop down into the notch V3 ofthe arm U3, The said arm on its rearward stroke will thus carry with itthe pitman G3, thus oscillating the rocloshaft to which the said pitxnanis connected, and which is connected with and operates the slide orcover of the plate-holding box, The construction of the latter hasalready been described, and it will be seen that by this action anail-plate is fed into the barrel which at the time registers withtheiioor atthe front of the plate-holding box, while at the'same timeanother plate is fed from the box over uponv the said loor, so as to beready-for a repetition ol' the operation. On the next forward stroke ofthe arm U3, the fiat spring,

IOO

having been released from the pressure upon the rock-shaft by meansofwhich it is oper.- ated, will force the lever or pitinan C3 in anupward direction, thus returning the stud D3 into the recess V",provided for its reception in the side piece, A2, of the frame.

The cam-wheel Z, upon the main shaft S of the machine, is provided,inaddition to the cam-grooves A and B,with an exterior eccentric groove,lVa, adapted to engage the lower curved arm, X3, of the jointed lever Qof the stump-removing mechanism.

The shaft E, upon which the cylinder II revolves, is provided with apair of adjustable disks, I t and B4, serving as guides for the flanges0*, which are formed annularly upon the sleeves P3. The said disks areeccentric or cam-shaped, so that they shall serve to move the sleevesand the nail-plates held and carried by the said sleeves a sufficientdistance during each revolution of the cylinder to cause a properport-ion of the nail-plate to project, from which the nail may be cut.

D* is an arm extending downwardly from the shaft and carrying thebarrels in a forward direction, so as to enable the pawls of the sleevesto take afresh hold upon the plates.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood from theforegoing description, taken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed, by those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

Vhen motive power is applied to the main shaft in the directionindicated by the arrows in the drawings,an intermittent revolving motionis imparted to the cylinder, while at the same time at each forwardstroke of the pitman which operates the said cylinder the stump-removingpliers are carried in aforward direction,the said pliers being held inan open position by means of the wedge at the rear end of the pivotedjaw, which engages the spring or guide attached to the stationary orlongitudinally slidingjaw. It should be stated that a spring is suitablyarranged to close the said jaws automatically. It will also be seen thatthe rear ends of the nai1-plates are provided with notches adapted to beengaged by the front ends of the said jaws. Solong as the nail-plategrasped or engaged by the said nippers is solid, the said nippers ontheir backward movement will simply slide off the plate withoutaffecting its posit-ion; but when only a small portion ofthe nailAplateremains, and the nippers are able to engage or enter the notch at therear end of the latter, they will automatically close in the saidnotch,and will, by the rearward motion of the sliding jaw, serve toextract the stub. On the next forward motion the jaws are again forcedapart by the mechanism described, thus releasing the stump and placingthe nippers in position for a repetition of the operation. The beveledfront ends or jaws of the plateholding barrels are provided with notchesthat will register with the notches in the rear ends of the nail-plates,so as not to interfere with the removal or extraction of the stubs.

The same operation of the main shaft which serves to operate thecylinder and the extracting mechanism, also serves, as hereinbeforestated,to operate the nail-cutting knife as well as the plate-feedingmechanism. The method of or mechanism for actuating thelatter,or forthrowing it into operation at the proper time, consists simply of therods L3, which extend rearwardly from the plate-holding barrels. It willbe seen that the pawls O, which are pivoted to the inner ends of thesaid rods, normally rest upon the nail-plate contained in the barrel.Then the nail-plate passes beyond the said pawls, the springs N3 forcethe said rods in a forward direction,thus causing them to strike oroperate the trigger, by means of which the plate-feeding mechanism isset in motion,as hereinbefore described.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States- I. A nail-plate-feeding machinecomprising an intermittingly revolving cylinder, having a series ofbarrels adapted to hold and feed the nail-plates to the anvil, incombination with mechanism whereby the said plate-holding barrels shallreceive each a one-half revolution to each complete revolution of thecylinder, substantially as set forth.

2. In a nail-plate-feeding machine,the combination,with anintermittingly revolving cylinder, of a series of plate-holding barrelsarranged within the said cylinder and having a limited longitudinalmotion therein, the said plate-holding barrels being arranged at anangle to the supporting-shaft of the cylinder, substantially as setforth.

3. In a nail-platefeeding machine, the combination,with asupporting-shaft, of an intermittingly-revolving cylinder having aseries of plate-holding barrels arranged at an angle to the said shaftor axis, and provided at their rear ends with pinions, and a gear wheelmounted upon the said shaft engaging the said pinions and being onlypartially toothed, so that a one-half revolution shall be imparted IOOto each of the plate-holding barrels with each complete revolution ofthe cylinder, the said barrels being stationary at the point at whichthe nail-plates are exposed upon the anvil, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination,with a nail-cutting machine having aforwardly-extending arm terminating in a disk or turn-table at its upperend, of a shaft or axle mounted pivotally upon the said turntable andcarrying an intermittingly-revolving cylinder provided with a series ofplate-holding barrels,and mechanism for feeding the plates contained inthe said barrels to the nail-cutting mechanism, substantially as setforth.

5. In a nail-cutting and plate-feeding inachine, the combination,withthe frame having an arm or bracket upon which is pivotally mounted ashaft carrying a cylinder provided with a series of plate-holdingbarrels, of a bracket extending laterally from one of the sides of theframe and adapted to sustain the front end of the pivoted shaft, saidbracket being also provided with an upwardly-extending lateral guide,serving as a gage to regulate the distance to which the nail-platesshall be allowed to project, substantially as set forth.

IIO

IZO

r barrelsarranged inthe' saidI cylinder atanangleto the said shaft oraxis, plate-feeding Sleeves arranged to slide upon'the ysaid barrels,and a pair of cams or eccentric disks mounted adjustablyl upon thesaid-shaft', substantiallyfas set forth.

7. Inafiiail-platefeedingfmac`hine,thecomsisti'ng of tubular castingshavinglongitudinalV slots, of the annularly flanged 'sleeves mounted toslide upon Vthe said barrelsand providedfw-ith springpawls adaptedtoengagethe plateslco'ntainedin thesaidfbarrels and-'feed them`towardftlie"cutting mechanism, substantially as set fortlii 8:Thecombinatiomwiththe platelliolding barielshaving longitudinal"slotsandl provid-Y 'ed with the beveled ends,as described, of thelongitudinally sliding ann ularlyiiang'd sleeves havingspring-'paw-l'sadapted to hold andi feed the nail-plates'` cox'it'ainedV inthe saidbarrels-and provided-with forwardly-extendi'ngpivoted jaws, andspringsfsecu'red to the beveledffrontend's of the barrels and acting`against lthesaid pivoted jaws,-whi chl are thereby compressed upon thenail-plate,fsubs'tan tially as set forth. l

9.V The herein-described'cylinder,co1nposed of theI endpieces havingbearingsy o1" openings'for the plate-holding barrels,a'n`daveylindric'al body provided withgrooves which arealternatelyparallel'to-andat' airangle to the 'shaft orV axis of thecylind'er, thefront ends ofthe straight or parallel grooves=being cut) away so astoafford 'access for theoperating-pin, andv the diagonal grooves beingprovided with recesses-or indentations tio afford a rest for thesaid'operating-pin until it'sreturn-stroke, substantially as set forthi10. l'n a nail-plate-'feeding machine, the combination, with arevolvingcylindercarrying aV series of" plate-holding barrels, of mechanism forautomatically supplying nailplates to the said barrels whenfthe platecontained in either barrel shall have been eX- liausted,-substantiallyas set-forth.

ll1. In a` nail-plate-feeding machine, the

combination, with a series of plate-holding I slide or cover movinglongitudinally Vand provided with pawls or d ogs adapted, respectively,

ltobforcea plate from the boX onto the floor in rcar'of the same andfrom the said floor into one of the plate-holding barrels, and suitablefop'crating mechanism, substantially' as setV lfort-h'.

bination, with the'plate-holdingbarrels, co'n'- 1 ceptacle, thesliding'cover of thclatter provided 1a The @bmbinauon oftheplate-holding vrewi'thdogsor pawlsarock-shaftarranged'trans--ve'rsely'to the said slide and providedwith-'an theI said rock -shaftprovided with a pit'nian Arestingupon ai'lat spring andprovided'withalaterally'-e'Xtending stud accommodated in a'rec'ess in the sidey ofthe frame of the-machine, a longitudinally-reciprocating arm, having* anotch adapted to receive the said stud; and-a's-uitably-operated triggeradapted to release the said spring, so as to permit the said stud todrop into the notchr of the longi- =tudinally-reciprocatingarm, wherebythe cover or slide of the-'plate-holding bo`x` may be operated,'substantially-as and for the purpose set forth.

14". The combination of the plate-holding receptacle, the slideor coverof the same hav- Aing' dogs or-pawls, operatingvmechanism for tlie saidslide, substantially as described,- a iiatsp'ring arranged to hold thesaid operating mechanism out of gear, a longitudinal rock--shaft'havingat its rear end an arm connected with the said flat spring, andhaving atitsopposite end a laterally-extending arm or trigger, and the cylinderhaving a scriesof plate-holding barrels provided withlongitudinally-sliding rods forced in a forward direction by means ofsuitably-arrangcdsprings, and connected at their inner ends to pivotedpawl's, w-hich normally rest upon the nailplate'contained in the'barrel, whereby when -such nail-plate shall have been-exhausted thepawls willcome together and the rods be forced in a forward direction,so as to-e'ng'age the trigger and set the feed-slide in motion,

substantially as set forth.

'15.- In a nail-plate-feeding machine, the combination, with a revolvingcylinder haviiig a series-of plate-holding barrels arranged atan-angletothe shaft ofc the said cylinder and adapted to receive each a one-halfrevolutionito each-complete revolution of the cylinder,` of theplate-feeding mechanism comlprising a' box arranged atfpthe front end ofsaidcylinder and in a line with the barrel which= at the time isuppermost in the said cylinder, and mechanism actuated automatically bylthe mechanism which operates the said cylinder for the purpose ofsupplying a IOO fresh; nail-plate to each cylinder when the vplatecontained therein shall have been eX- hausted, substantially as setforth.

16. The combination,with anail-plate-feeding machine having mechanismwhereby the plates are fed automatically to the plate-hold ing barrels,of mechanism for automatically extracting the stubs from the saidbarrels, substantially as set forth.

17. The combination, with an intermittingly-revolving cylinder, of aseries of plateholding barrels having beveled front ends provided withnotched jaws adapted to register or correspond with notches formed atthe rear ends of the nail-plates, substantially as set forth.

18. A stub-extractor for nail-plate-feeding machines, consisting,essentially, of apair of nippers or pliers adapted to be closedautomatically by a .suitablyarranged spring, the jaws of the saidnippers being provided at their front ends, respectively, with a recessor indentation, and a tooth fitting in the said recess, substantially asset forth.

19. The combinatiomwith a nail-plate-feeding machine, comprising anintermittinglyrevolving cylinder having a series of plateholding barrelsadapted to receive each a onehalf revolution to every full revolution ofthe cylinder, of an automatic stub-extractor comprising a pair ofnippers adapted to be closed automatically by the action of asuitably-arranged spring, the said nippers having alongitudinally-sliding movement, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

20. The combination of the cylinder carry ing the plate-holding barrels,with an automatic stub-extractor comprising alongitudinally-reciprocating slide having a downwardly-ext-ending armand carrying at its front end one of the jaws of the extracting-nippers,an auxiliary jaw connected pivotally to the main jaw and adapted to beautomatically closed by the action of a suitably-arranged spring, andhaving at its rear end an outwardly-extending beveled projection, a boltmovable longitudinally in a horizontal slot in the shank of the mainjaw, a spring or guide secured to the outer side of the said bolt andadapted to bear against the beveled projection upon the shank of theauxiliary jaw, and a jointed lever connected pivotally to the inner endof the said sliding bolt and having its lower curved arm connectedpivotally to the bracket extending downwardly from the shank of the mainjaw and bearing against an eccentric cam formed upon a disk which issecured upon the main shaft of the machine, substantially as set forth.

21. In a nail-cutting and plate-feeding machine,the combination of aplate-holding receptacle, an intermittingly-revolving cylinder carryinga series of plate-holding barrels adapted to receive each a one-halfrevolution to each complete revolution ofthe cylinder, mechanism forfeeding the nail-plates from their receptacle into the plate-holdingbarrels when the plates contained in the latter shall have beenexhausted, mechanism for automatically actuating the saidplate-supplying mechanism, mechanism for feeding the plates contained inthe barrels toward the anvil of the cutting mechanism, a gage or guidearranged to regulate the distance to which the nail-plates shall beallowed to project, the stub-extracting nippers arranged to be operatedautomatically for the purpose of extracting the stubs from theplate-holding barrels, mechanism foroperating the said stubextractor orfor throwing it into operation automatically when the plates shall havebeen exhausted to such an extent as to render the removal of the stubsnecessary, and the nailcutting mechanism, all constructed, arranged, andoperating substantially as and for the purpose herein shown andspecified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereuntoaiiixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM JAMES GLADISH.

I'Vitnesses:

S. F. IVooDING, GHARLEs HANEY.

